EssentialElements

Notes from Essential Elements:

• Provide a way for annoymous feedback.
• Write an End of Course Evaluation.
• Create a journal of experiences as facilitators - what worked, what didn't
• Use Icons to designate different parts of the activities - ex. Group Discussion Items, Assignments.
• Take time to build a community of learners.
• Provide a checklist each week with the assignment - type of activity - and place to check off the task when completed.
• Provide an opportunity for groupwork in the course - can be in the wiki week
• What exactly should be in the learning blogs each week? Reflections only? Details about the course work?
• How many times a week are we requiring students to check into the course? (important to build community and to keep the site active)

How to assess our writing of the assignments:

• Could a first timer read the assignment and know exactly what to do and why they were doing it?
• Are the instructions detailed?
• Are the learning objectives for the week clearly stated.
• Are there clear and detailed set of expectations given for completetion of each activity
• Have a colleague read over the assignment and give feedback.
• Are different learning styles addressed in the resources provided.
• Are each week's assignments "chunked" out into teaching info - task - teaching info - task, etc.
• Is the learning cycle present: Intro, Lesson, Activity, Discussion
• Is there a group discussion item for the week? (To be conducted through the comments on that week's posting.)
• Are there several activities around each topic?